Chapter 520, WILDLIFE

(520 ILCS 15/2) (from Ch. 61, par. 134) Sec. 2. No funds accruing to the State of Illinois from license fees paid by hunters shall be diverted for any other purpose than the administration of the Department of Natural Resources for the management of fish and wildlife resources of…

(520 ILCS 5/2.1) (from Ch. 61, par. 2.1) Sec. 2.1. The ownership of and title to all wild birds and wild mammals within the jurisdiction of the State are hereby declared to be in the State, and no wild birds or wild mammals shall be taken or killed, in any manner or at any time, …

(520 ILCS 5/2.10) (from Ch. 61, par. 2.10) Sec. 2.10. The Department may, on an annual basis, establish a spring wild turkey open season within the period beginning on March 1 and running through May 31, and a fall wild turkey season within the period beginning on October 1 and r…

(520 ILCS 5/2.11) (from Ch. 61, par. 2.11) Sec. 2.11. Before any person may lawfully hunt wild turkey, he shall first obtain a "Wild Turkey Hunting Permit" in accordance with the prescribed regulations set forth in an administrative rule of the Department. The fee for a Resident …

(520 ILCS 5/2.13) (from Ch. 61, par. 2.13) Sec. 2.13. It shall be unlawful for any person to take Hungarian partridge except with shotgun, or bow and arrow, during the open season which will be set annually by the Director between the dates of October 15th - January 31st, both in…

(520 ILCS 5/2.15) (from Ch. 61, par. 2.15) Sec. 2.15. It shall be unlawful for any person to possess at any time any net or trap for the purpose of netting or trapping any of the game birds defined by this Act. (Source: P.A. 77-1781.)

(520 ILCS 5/2.16) (from Ch. 61, par. 2.16) Sec. 2.16. It shall be unlawful to sell or barter, or offer to sell or barter, buy or barter, or offer to buy or barter any of the game birds defined in this Act, whether taken in this State or in some other state and imported into Illin…

(520 ILCS 5/2.18) (from Ch. 61, par. 2.18) Sec. 2.18. It shall be unlawful to take, possess, transport or use migratory game birds except during such periods of time, and only in such manner and numbers, as may be permitted pursuant to the Federal "Migratory Bird Treaty Act", and…

(520 ILCS 5/2.18-1) (from Ch. 61, par. 2.18-1) Sec. 2.18-1. (a) It shall be lawful for any person who holds the licenses, permits and stamps required by this Act for the taking of migratory waterfowl to use, in addition to or in lieu of any other authorized ammunition, either lea…

(520 ILCS 5/2.19) (from Ch. 61, par. 2.19) Sec. 2.19. It shall be unlawful to use a floating blind for the taking of migratory waterfowl, as permitted by this Act, unless such blind is anchored in a stationary position when in use. This does not prohibit the use of a scull boat i…

(520 ILCS 5/2.2) (from Ch. 61, par. 2.2) (Text of Section before amendment by P.A. 104-794) Sec. 2.2. This Act shall apply only to the wild birds and parts of wild birds (including, but not limited to, their nests and eggs), and wild mammals and parts of wild mammals, which shall…

(520 ILCS 5/2.20) (from Ch. 61, par. 2.20) Sec. 2.20. It shall be unlawful to take waterfowl or any species of wildlife in any area managed by the Department unless those species are taken in compliance with the rules and regulations established by the Department of which notice …

(520 ILCS 5/2.23) (from Ch. 61, par. 2.23) Sec. 2.23. It is unlawful for any person to take any species of waterfowl protected by this Act on the Horseshoe Lake Waterfowl Refuge, and those areas adjacent within the tract of land hereinafter described, or on the Marion-Pickerell W…

(520 ILCS 5/2.24) (from Ch. 61, par. 2.24) Sec. 2.24. It shall be unlawful to take or possess deer in this State, except in compliance with the provisions of Sections 2.25, 2.26, and 3.23 and subsections (a), (g), (n), (r), (t), (w), and (y) of Section 2.33, and the administrativ…

(520 ILCS 5/2.25) (from Ch. 61, par. 2.25) (Text of Section before amendment by P.A. 104-627) Sec. 2.25. It shall be unlawful for any person to take deer except (i) with a shotgun, handgun, single shot centerfire rifle, or muzzleloading rifle or (ii) as provided by administrative…

(520 ILCS 5/2.26) (from Ch. 61, par. 2.26) (Text of Section before amendment by P.A. 104-627) Sec. 2.26. Deer hunting permits. Any person attempting to take deer shall first obtain a "Deer Hunting Permit" issued by the Department in accordance with its administrative rules. Those…

(520 ILCS 5/2.27) (from Ch. 61, par. 2.27) Sec. 2.27. It shall be unlawful for any person to take cottontail, jack, and swamp rabbits except with a gun or bow and arrow during the open season which will be set annually by the Director between the dates of October 1st to February …

(520 ILCS 5/2.28) (from Ch. 61, par. 2.28) Sec. 2.28. It shall be unlawful for any person to take fox squirrels and gray squirrels except with a gun or bow and arrow during the open season which will be set annually by the Director between the dates of May 1st to February 28. Dog…

(520 ILCS 5/2.29) (from Ch. 61, par. 2.29) Sec. 2.29. It shall be unlawful to sell or barter, or offer to sell or barter, buy or barter, or offer to buy or barter, any of the game mammals defined by this Act, whether taken in this State or in some other state and imported into th…

(520 ILCS 5/2.2a) Sec. 2.2a. Invasive and exotic wild animals. The Department may prohibit or limit the importation, possession, release into the wild, take, commercialization of take, sale, and propagation of wild mammals, wild birds, and feral livestock that are not defined as …

(520 ILCS 5/2.2b) Sec. 2.2b. Imminent threat; nuisance permits. (a) It shall not be illegal for an owner or tenant of land, or his or her designated agent, to immediately take on his or her property a gray wolf, Canis lupus; American black bear, Ursus americanus; or cougar, Puma …

(520 ILCS 5/2.3) (from Ch. 61, par. 2.3) Sec. 2.3. Release of Wildlife - Permission. It shall be unlawful to release from captivity any live bird or mammal, either indigenous or non-indigenous in this State and that is ordinarily considered a wildlife species except as provided i…

(520 ILCS 5/2.30) (from Ch. 61, par. 2.30) Sec. 2.30. Except as provided in this Section, it shall be unlawful for any person to trap or to hunt with a gun, dog, dog and gun, or bow and arrow, gray fox, red fox, raccoon, weasel, mink, muskrat, badger, bobcat, and opossum except d…

(520 ILCS 5/2.30b) Sec. 2.30b. River otter and bobcat pelts. The pelts of river otters and bobcats shall be tagged in accordance with federal regulation 50 CFR 23.69(e). The Department may require harvest registration and set forth procedures, fees for registration, and the proce…

(520 ILCS 5/2.30c) Sec. 2.30c. Bobcat hunting and trapping permit; fee. Before any person may lawfully hunt or trap a bobcat, he or she shall first obtain a "Bobcat Hunting and Trapping Permit" in accordance with regulations set forth in an administrative rule of the Department. …

(520 ILCS 5/2.31) (from Ch. 61, par. 2.31) Sec. 2.31. Except as provided in Section 2.30, it shall be unlawful for any person to take or attempt to take wild birds or wild mammals along, upon, across, or from any public right-of-way or highway in this State. (Source: P.A. 97-628,…

(520 ILCS 5/2.32) (from Ch. 61, par. 2.32) Sec. 2.32. It shall be unlawful for any person at any time to molest, destroy or attempt to destroy any feed bed, nest, den, house or other cavity of any of the wild mammals protected by this Act except as provided in Section 2.37. For t…

(520 ILCS 5/2.33) (Text of Section before amendment by P.A. 104-627) Sec. 2.33. Prohibitions. (a) It is unlawful to carry or possess any gun in any State refuge unless otherwise permitted by administrative rule. (b) It is unlawful to use or possess any snare or snare-like device,…

(520 ILCS 5/2.33-1) (from Ch. 61, par. 2.33-1) Sec. 2.33-1. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, no person shall place, carry, possess or transport a shotgun on a boat of any type in an area under the jurisdiction of the Department of Natural Resources during the peri…

(520 ILCS 5/2.33a) (from Ch. 61, par. 2.33a) Sec. 2.33a. Trapping. (a) It is unlawful to fail to visit and remove all animals from traps staked out, set, used, tended, placed or maintained at least once each calendar day. (b) It is unlawful for any person to place, set, use, or m…

(520 ILCS 5/2.33b) Sec. 2.33b. Computer-assisted remote hunting; prohibition. A person shall not operate, provide, sell, use, or offer to operate, provide, sell, or use any computer software or service that allows a person not physically present at the hunt site to remotely contr…

(520 ILCS 5/2.34) (from Ch. 61, par. 2.34) Sec. 2.34. Dog trials. (a) Dogs of any breed may be trained the year round in accordance with the provisions of this Act. (b) During the periods of time when it is unlawful to take species protected by this Act, the only firearms which s…

(520 ILCS 5/2.35) (from Ch. 61, par. 2.35) Sec. 2.35. Wild game birds or fur-bearing mammals. (a) Migratory game birds, or any part or parts thereof, may be possessed only in accordance with the regulations of the federal government. (b) Except as provided in Sections 3.21, 3.23,…

(520 ILCS 5/2.36) (from Ch. 61, par. 2.36) Sec. 2.36. It shall be unlawful to buy, sell, or barter, or offer to buy, sell, or barter, and for a commercial institution, other than a regularly operated refrigerated storage establishment, to have in its possession any of the wild bi…

(520 ILCS 5/2.36a) (from Ch. 61, par. 2.36a) Sec. 2.36a. Value of protected species; violations. (a) A person commits a Class 3 felony if the person, for profit or commercial purposes, knowingly captures or kills, possesses, offers for sale, sells, offers to barter, barters, offe…

(520 ILCS 5/2.37) (from Ch. 61, par. 2.37) Sec. 2.37. Authority to kill wildlife responsible for damage. (a) Subject to federal regulations and Section 3 of the Illinois Endangered Species Protection Act, the Department may authorize owners and tenants of lands or their agents, w…

(520 ILCS 5/2.38) (from Ch. 61, par. 2.38) Sec. 2.38. No person shall at any time: (1) falsify, alter or change in any manner, or provide deceptive or false information required for, any license, permit or tag issued under the provisions hereof; (2) falsify any record required by…

(520 ILCS 5/2.4) (from Ch. 61, par. 2.4) Sec. 2.4. The term birds of prey shall include all species of owls, falcons, hawks, kites, harriers, ospreys and eagles. It shall be unlawful for any person, organization or institution to take or possess a bird of prey (raptor) without fi…

(520 ILCS 5/2.6) (from Ch. 61, par. 2.6) Sec. 2.6. Pheasant season; limits. It shall be unlawful for any person to take cock pheasants except with shotgun or bow and arrow during the open season which will be set annually by the Director between the dates of October 15--January 3…

(520 ILCS 5/2.7) (from Ch. 61, par. 2.7) Sec. 2.7. It shall be unlawful for any person to take quail except with shotgun, or bow and arrow, and only during the open season which will be set annually by the Director between the dates of October 15th - January 31st, both inclusive.…

(520 ILCS 5/2.8) (from Ch. 61, par. 2.8) Sec. 2.8. It is unlawful for any person to take ruffed, sharp-tailed, and pinnated grouse (prairie chicken) in this State at any time. (Source: P.A. 81-382.)

(520 ILCS 5/2.9) (from Ch. 61, par. 2.9) Sec. 2.9. It shall be unlawful for any person to take or possess wild turkey unless they are taken or possessed in compliance with Sections 2.10 and 2.11 and any administrative rules issued pursuant to the provisions of such Sections. (Sou…

(520 ILCS 35/20) Sec. 20. Penalty. Any person who violates the provisions of this Act is guilty of a Class B misdemeanor. (Source: P.A. 103-239, eff. 1-1-24.)

(520 ILCS 20/20) (from Ch. 61, par. 237) Sec. 20. In connection with their official duties, it is lawful for any member of the Department, or any employee or duly appointed agent thereof, to go upon a Wildlife Habitat Management Area, restricted or open, at any time of the year w…

(520 ILCS 20/21) (from Ch. 61, par. 238) Sec. 21. It is unlawful to resist any officer or agent, of the Department when he is attempting to arrest a person for violation of any property damage laws of this State, or any law of this State intended to protect farm livestock, or hum…

(520 ILCS 20/22) (from Ch. 61, par. 239) Sec. 22. Any person violating any of the provisions of this Act shall be guilty of a petty offense. (Source: P.A. 77-2519.)

(520 ILCS 25/25) Sec. 25. Rules. The Department shall have the authority to promulgate any rules necessary to carry out the purposes of this Act. (Source: P.A. 87-1015.)

(520 ILCS 35/25) Sec. 25. Enforcement. Any law enforcement officer or peace officer employed by this State or by any county or municipality within this State may enforce the provisions of this Act. The Attorney General, or a State's Attorney of the county in which a violation of …

(520 ILCS 20/3) (from Ch. 61, par. 220) Sec. 3. The director, on behalf of the Department, may cancel any such agreement; (a) upon 60 days written notice to the lessor, when in the judgment of the Department the use of the lands is no longer needed or desired; (b) in case the own…

(520 ILCS 10/3) (from Ch. 8, par. 333) Sec. 3. It is unlawful for any person: (1) to possess, take, transport, sell, offer for sale, give or otherwise dispose of any animal or the product thereof of any animal species which occurs on the Illinois List, unless otherwise authorized…